Are We Going Down?
by Follow-ur-Shadow
Summary: Chuck will stop at nothing to break Blair but when he realises that's not actually what he wants, will it be too late to undo his latest scheme? See inside for warnings.


**Are We Going Down? **

**Category**: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing**: Blair/Chuck

**Summary**: Chuck will stop at nothing to break Blair but when he realises that's not actually what he wants, will it be too late to undo his latest scheme?

**Warnings**: mentions of an eating disorder & attempted rape

**Disclaimer**: Own nothing, nadda, zip & zilch!

**Authors Notes**: Okay, so my first attempt at a Gossip Girl story. It's supposed to set sometime after Chuck has declared War on Blair... :P I haven't actually seen that many episodes so I apologise for any out of character moments/continuity flaws, etc... feedback is a great way to help me overcome those short comings :)

Also I'm still just testing the water here, so keep in mind this might end up being a shorter story.

Happy reading!

* * *

The scotch tasted stale, mundane to his senses and Chuck Bass knew he wasn't going to enjoy the rest of his drink.

It was supposed to be a victory toast. A celebration of yet another conquest over his selected target but even though he'd arranged front row seats to the show, destroying Blair Waldorf was becoming less and less gratifying. The drive to hurt her in any capacity was fading much like his anger and while he should've been enjoying the brilliance in his latest scheme, he was watching her now... and he just wanted it all to stop.

From the comfort of his own V.I.P booth with music blaring and the alcohol continuously finding his table, he allowed himself that one quiet admittance. Nothing more. No grand declarations or great revelations, just the knowledge that he'd grown tired of this game.

Taking another sip, he sank back into the velvet sofa lifting his gaze above the rail and down the crowd below. Serena was already on the dance floor, attracting attention from every man in her line of sight but it's wasn't the blonde beauty he was interested in.

A little further away, nestled in a darkened corner off the dance floor were the two people capturing his attention. One of whom was Stephen Addison; a notorious ladies man, though that pearl of information wasn't known widely in the larger circles. At school he managed to stay off every ones radar choosing to take advantage of the Manhattan night life instead. He whittled money and rarely made it to class the next day. For some reason, probably due to the large wad in his back pocket, his teachers never made comment on the tardiness.

_Technically, _they were only friends by association.

A long time ago their father's had sort business dealings together and it was an unspoken request that the two children be civil towards each other. While they rarely spoke now a days, there were no ill feelings between them and ultimately it was that distant relationship which had prompted his latest scheme. Given his own father was no longer around he figured he could call in a favour playing the sympathy card;_ phase one complete_.

Now all he had to do was wait while the egoistical entrepreneur seduced his ex-girlfriend.

Admittedly it was a low blow, but he could almost envision the look on her face when she finally realised _he'd_ set the whole thing up. Not only would she be humiliated but no doubt to scared to trust any man for a long time to come.

It was ingenious.

Or at least it had been a few hours ago, now he was starting to have second thoughts.

If he let the plan play out it _might _tip the scales in his favour but then what? If he won the war there would be no more games, no more scheming... just a women who would undoubtedly never speak to him again. Maybe that's what he'd wanted in the beginning, to crush her out of his existence, but with victory so close it just felt... _hollow_.

Swirling the remnants of his scotch in the glass he watched her stand up and excuse herself.

If he wanted to call it off, now was the time.

With a heavy sigh he reluctantly swiped his phone off the table and flipped it open. Perhaps he was being weak, _pathetic _but there would always be another chance. Afterall he was Chuck Bass, if an opportunity didn't arise he would create it.

"_Hello, you've reached Stephen Addison. I'm unavailable to take your call ri-"_

He closed the cell with a flare of annoyance. From his position he could see the man had deliberately rejected the call and that pissed him off. This was his game, he was supposed to be in charge and the glass in his hand landed loudly on the table in response.

Preparing to move, he stopped suddenly, laying witness to the man slipping something into Blair's drink.

_Shit._

That wasn't exactly what he'd meant when he'd suggested a couple of drinks might help to loosen her up. _He _was being played. Both he and Blair were being taken advantage of and if the rich smarmy bastard thought he could pull something like this on a Bass, or a Waldorf for that matter, he had another thing coming.

_Serena_

Once again he flipped open his phone open, she was closer and could reach the pair first.

To further his annoyance the call went unanswered twice as he tried to squeeze through the level of drunk, sweaty, immature teenagers blocking his way. Either she didn't have her cell or the noise pulsing around the club was drowning out the ringing.

"Excuse me!" He pushed past a group of giggling girls ignoring the curses they flung at his back. He didn't have time for them, as it was he'd already wasted five minutes trying to get to the stairs. Descending upon them as quickly as possible it took him another ten minutes to eventually locate the booth they been sitting at.

It was empty.

"Chuck-"

He turned to find Serena glaring at him, her hands stationed threateningly over her narrow hips, "what are _you _doing here?"

He deliberately ignored the question and the manner in which it was delivered. She could be a bitch but her bark was a lot worse than her bite. "Where's Blair?"

"Please not this again." She was frustrated, annoyed at him for acting so childishly. Perhaps Blair had done the wrong thing but ultimately they had both made mistakes and it wasn't fair that her best friend was taking the brunt of those consequences.

Whether he knew it or not Blair was hurting, returning to old habits in order to find control and Serena didn't know how much longer she could go on being the women's only life-line. If it didn't stop she was going to need to tell Eleanor and then things really would spiral out of control.

"I'm being serious Chuck." Serena straightened, stepping up to him. "You need to stop. It's obvious she's still in love with you and _this-_" she motioned with a wild hand, "...what you're doing now, it's hurting her."

He might have been shocked by the deceleration had the foremost problem not been pressing in the back of his mind. It didn't matter if she still loved him because if they didn't find her soon, she was going to hate more than she ever had in her entire life.

"Serena-" he grabbed her arm hoping to convey the urgency of the situation, "Blair's in trouble, now tell me where she is?"

Confusion touched her features as she reacted to the seriousness in his voice, "she left about five minutes ago with some Stephen guy..."

He let go of her arm immediately and started to push his way through the crowd ignoring her shouts of protest. He knew where they were going, had handed Stephen a key and told him to make good use of the room. _Motherfucker. _He was going to kill the arrogant bastard_. _

As soon as Serena hit the fresh air she spotted Chuck at the bottom of the stairs and pulled off her heels in order to catch up to him. "_Chuck_!" When she finally closed the distance he was already climbing into a waiting limo and she hurriedly piled in after him. "Where the hell are we going?"

"Try calling her." He said simply, glaring at her obvious hesitation, "I would do it myself but you know she won't answer my number."

She pulled out her phone, running her nail over the first speed dial without actually applying pressure. She wanted to trust him, he certainly sounded sincere in his concern but what if it was just another one of his games? "I will, but first tell me what's going on?"

He sighed. She wasn't going to like the truth but he didn't have much of a choice, it was the only way she was going to believe him. "I paid Stephen Addison to sleep with Blair and then humiliate her but when she went to the bathroom I saw the guy slip something into her drink, my guess is it was a roofie."

"Chuck! Of all the stupid, idotic-" her finger pressed down as she continued to blast him, "deranged, ideas you've ever had this is by far the worst! Do you really want to hurt her this much, is it _really _worth it?"

"No _I_..."

He stopped before the truth inadvertently came tumbling out. He'd wanted to break her, get her down to the rawest emotions so she would admit that she still loved him. _Why_? There was only one honest answer, because he was still in love with her.

"Chuck-"

Serena's voice drew him away from the revelation and he glanced up holding his breath.

"...it rang out, _twice_."

For a moment she thought she saw genuine fear flash in his eyes but then it was gone replaced by his trademark calm exterior. She knew what was happening. She'd been witness to the silent rage that worked beneath his collected appearance and it meant only one thing; they needed to find Blair... _fast_.


End file.
